Tuesday, April 26, 2011

New residential buildings may be coming to SoDo as Seattle City Council recently voted to change current zoning allowing for buildings up to 24 stories high, according to a Seattle Times article. The vote came as a result of wanting to increase residency, but still be able to maintain the characteristics that make the area so unique. Some of these places already are flourishing with great restaurants and shopping centers, so it’s no wonder the city is making an effort to draw new residents. The proposal for the change is over a year old and had a lot of community support. However, if the city wants to draw more residents to the International District, especially families with kids, more improvements need to be made. For example, the city should plan for more parks or open spaces. Crime rates in the International District are an issue as well. Not to say other Seattle neighborhoods like Belltown don’t face high crime rates, but SPD has already increased patrol to address the problem. When it comes to the International District, police reported that the area does not have a higher than average crime rate. In September of last year, KOMO covered a story on the International District and the negative perception of the area as opposed to the actual amount of crime. I can understand how this could be true. At any rate, it’s going to take more than a few new buildings to attract people to the area. If the area is revitalized, it can easily become a desirable place for Seattleites to find new Seattle real estate opportunities.